Dismantling wires for trailer hitch ST1100AX …

[increasing]

Have dismantled the trailer hitch from my bike.

The wires from the trailer connector on the ST1100AX ABS-2 have 5 wires, on the connector for the tail light there are also 5 wires. But a red wire has been pulled that runs from the front of the bike (haven't checked where it comes from), have checked if it is live, no power when the ignition is on, not when the lights are on, no brake lights, no turn signals, nothing but it was spliced into one of the cables for the trailer hitch. An extra ground wire has also been added that was attached to the upper bolt for the trailer hitch.

Is this something that is common to do or is there a fault in the electrical system that means they have added an extra ground and the red wire from the front of the bike...

 

[Al st1100]

Who knows what somebody did. Looks very amateur. You will need patience and some skill there is no book that will tell you what they did. You will have to trace the wires back to switches, fuse box and ?

 

[ST1100Y]

I frankly hate those posi-locks... all they do is damage wire insulation, causing corrosion and failures there...
I'd build a Y-pigtail adapter instead...
BTW: the extra red could come from the front brake light switch...

John's brilliant source might help solve your wiring issues:

Wiring Diagrams, Colored ( ST1100 ) *

Wiring Diagrams, Colored ( ST1100 ) *

www.st-riders.net

 

[increasing]

Now I found a wire that is not in use, green with silver spot wire is cut and re-grounded to the fixing screw for the trailer hitch. Wire green with white stripe is spliced into a thicker wire to connect to red wire with splice clamp …

 

[increasing]

I have disconnected the red wire, spliced the wire that was cut and connected it to ground (with a locking pliers). Now the wires are as they were originally and all the lights at the back and front are fine. Then everything is ok, I just don't know what the red wire was used for until I see where it comes from. Then there will be a little work with the wires so it will be good before I install the rear connector again

 

[SMSW]

Good detective work! Were I to find that mess, I'd rework the wiring...two splice connectors in one wire within a few inches of each other? Pfehhhhh. I also cover my cabling/wires with loom. There is a reason why all of the mfrs did that with their wiring harnesses - and it was not to make life difficult for us amateurs.

 

[Roger]

UK convention is.......
#1 yellow, left indicator
#2 blue, fog light (not used)
#3 white, earth/ground
#4 green, right indicator
#5 brown, right tail
#6 red, brake lights (x2)
#7 black, left tail
.....and probably no use to you! The indicators should be wired via a unit that show a bulb failiure (in a car), but probably not on the bike. I also wired the brake lights via a relay to reduce the load on the bike front/back brake switches.

 

[increasing]

Did the best I could, soldered new wires with shrink tubing on the joints and electrical tape on the outside. Reassembled the rear part, it was good to get rid of the trailer hitch

Then I have a complete trailer hitch complete with all mounting bolts and complete electrical system.

PS! The bolt in the right corner of the picture is attached and has blue locktite on it

 

[increasing]

The red wire that was connected to the wires for the trailer hitch and the taillight comes from the switch for heating in the handlebar grips... Did they get power from there...

 

[Ron]

That appears to be power source. It is a shame as there are so many ways to do it better and easier.

 

[ST1100Y]

Yeah, weird...
The OEM grip heaters simply picked their power supply from the front brake light switch...
And since it's a post '96 the 5A ACC would have been available too...